Sense and avoid for automated mobile vehicles

Abstract

This disclosure describes an automated mobile vehicle that includes one or more distance determining elements configured to detect the presence of objects and to cause the automated mobile vehicle to alter its path to avoid the object. For example, a distance determining element may be incorporated into one or more of the motors of the automated mobile vehicle and configured to determine a distance to an object. Based on the determined distance, a path of the automated mobile vehicle may be altered.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method to control an automated mobile vehicle, comprising:
 detecting a presence of an object; 
 determining, using a distance determining element associated with a portion of a propulsion mechanism coupled to the automated mobile vehicle, a distance from the object, wherein the distance determining element rotates with rotation of the portion of the propulsion mechanism; 
 determining that a path of the automated mobile vehicle is to be changed based at least in part on the distance; and 
 altering the path of the automated mobile vehicle based at least in part on the distance. 
 
     
     
       2. A method to alter a path of an automated mobile vehicle, comprising:
 detecting a presence of an object; 
 determining, using a distance determining element associated with a portion of a propulsion mechanism coupled to the automated mobile vehicle, a distance from the object, wherein the distance determining element rotates with rotation of the portion of the propulsion mechanism; and 
 altering the path of the automated mobile vehicle based at least in part on the distance. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the distance from the object further comprises:
 emitting a ranging signal toward the object from a rangefinder of the distance determining element; and 
 receiving the ranging signal reflected from the object. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the ranging signal is emitted through at least one opening of an exterior component of the propulsion mechanism. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the ranging signal is emitted toward at least one reflective surface of the propulsion mechanism such that the ranging signal is reflected and emitted toward the object. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the rangefinder is coupled to and configured to rotate with the portion of the propulsion mechanism, and wherein emitting the ranging signal further comprises:
 emitting the ranging signal on a plane based at least in part on rotation of the rangefinder. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 determining, using a second distance determining element associated with a second propulsion mechanism coupled to the automated mobile vehicle, a second distance from the object; and 
 altering the path of the automated mobile vehicle further based at least in part on the second distance. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein determining the second distance from the object further comprises:
 emitting a second ranging signal toward the object from a second rangefinder of the second distance determining element; and 
 receiving the second ranging signal reflected from the object. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second rangefinder is coupled to and configured to rotate with the second propulsion mechanism, and wherein emitting the second ranging signal further comprises:
 emitting the second ranging signal on a second plane based at least in part on rotation of the second rangefinder; 
 wherein the plane and the second plane intersect. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 determining, using a third distance determining element associated with the propulsion mechanism coupled to the automated mobile vehicle, the distance from the object; 
 wherein a third ranging signal is emitted from a third rangefinder of the third distance determining element on a third plane based at least in part on rotation of the third rangefinder. 
 
     
     
       11. A computer implemented method for altering a path of an automated mobile vehicle, comprising:
 detecting a presence of an object; 
 determining a distance from the object, wherein the distance is determined based at least in part on a distance determining element coupled to a portion of a propeller motor of the automated mobile vehicle, wherein the distance determining element rotates with rotation of the portion of the propeller motor; and 
 wherein determining the distance from the object further comprises:
 emitting a laser signal toward the object from a laser rangefinder of the distance determining element; and 
 receiving the laser signal reflected from the object; and 
 
 altering the path of the automated mobile vehicle to avoid the object. 
 
     
     
       12. The computer implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the laser signal is emitted toward at least one reflective surface of the propeller motor such that the laser signal is reflected and emitted toward the object. 
     
     
       13. The computer implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the laser rangefinder is coupled to and configured to rotate with the portion of the propeller motor, and wherein emitting the laser signal further comprises:
 emitting the laser signal on a plane based at least in part on rotation of the laser rangefinder. 
 
     
     
       14. The computer implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the laser signal is emitted through at least one opening of an exterior component of the propeller motor. 
     
     
       15. A computer implemented method for altering a path of an automated mobile vehicle, comprising:
 detecting a presence of an object; 
 determining a distance from the object, wherein the distance is determined based at least in part on a distance determining element coupled to a portion of a propeller motor of the automated mobile vehicle, wherein the distance determining element rotates with rotation of the portion of the propeller motor; and 
 altering the path of the automated mobile vehicle to avoid the object. 
 
     
     
       16. The computer implemented method of  claim 15 , wherein detecting the presence of an object, further includes:
 altering at least one of a pitch of the automated mobile vehicle, a yaw of the automated mobile vehicle, or a roll of the automated mobile vehicle. 
 
     
     
       17. The computer implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein altering at least one of the pitch of the automated mobile vehicle, the yaw of the automated mobile vehicle, or the roll of the automated mobile vehicle increases a scanning ability of the distance determining element. 
     
     
       18. The computer implemented method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining that communication exists between the automated mobile vehicle and the object; and 
 determining, based at least in part on the communication, an intent of the object. 
 
     
     
       19. The computer implemented method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining a position of the automated mobile vehicle. 
 
     
     
       20. The computer implemented method of  claim 15 , wherein the distance determining element comprises at least one of an ultrasonic ranging module, a laser rangefinder, a radar distance measurement module, stadiametric based rangefinder, a parallax based rangefinder, a coincidence based rangefinder, a Lidar based rangefinder, Sonar based range finder, or a time-of-flight based rangefinder. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a position of the automated mobile vehicle; and 
 determining at least one of a position, a direction, or a speed of the object relative to the automated mobile vehicle based at least in part on the distance; 
 wherein determining that the path of the automated mobile vehicle is to be changed is further based at least in part on the position of the automated mobile vehicle, and at least one of the position, the direction, or the speed of the object relative to the automated mobile vehicle.